DEVOTIONALS

Count the Cost

Luke 14:28-30 (NLT) says, “28But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’” Have you ever worked on or have been a part of a house building project? Maybe even a renovation? One thing is for certain:  there will come a moment where you will

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The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Pt. 3

Luke 3:16 says, “John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire”. Though I firmly and undoubtedly believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, I do believe they have been strongly abused. The problem with this generation, especially in the Pentecostal realm in these Appalachian mountains, is that people have made the gifts of the Holy Spirit idols in their lives. They have focused on nothing but shouting and

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The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Pt. 2

Luke 3:16 says, “John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire”. Now, you do not have to speak in tongues to be saved. There is a difference between the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. There is water you drink and water you shower in. The water you drink is the infilling of the Holy Spirit because when you try that water, you

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The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Pt. 1

Luke 3:16 says, “John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire”. John’s message was the baptism of repentance and water, but Christ’s ministry was the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire. He even felt unworthy to untie Christ’s shoes, but His baptism foreshadowed the baptism that Christ would bring about. Jesus said, “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead

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The Baptism of Fire, Pt. 2

Luke 3:16 says, “John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.” In biblical times, the sacrifices were to be seasoned with salt. Mark 9:49-50 says, “49For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. 50Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.” Our sacrifices

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Baptism of Fire, Pt. 1

Luke 3:16 says, “John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.” Another kind of baptism is the baptism of fire. This is ultimately the forgotten baptism. Picture in your mind a river of lava. When you get dipped in it, it melts away your entire flesh! While the baptism of water reflects the baptism of repentance, the baptism of fire reflects the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If you

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Baptism of Water, Pt. 2

Matthew 3:1-6 says, “1In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

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Baptism of Water, Pt. 1

Matthew 3:1-6 says, “1In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

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The Baptism of Repentance

Matthew 3:7-12 says, “7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast

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Maintaining Self-Control in the Ministry

Luke 9:51-56 says, “51And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, 52And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. 53And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. 54And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 55But he turned, and

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